Poinsettia plant named HWD Menorca

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named HWD Menorca, characterized by its bright red flower bracts; large flower bracts; large showy cyathia, large number of flower bracts per inflorescence; medium to high vigor; large leaves; freely branching plant habit; and excellent postproduction longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.,known as the variety Duemenorca, and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name HWD Menorca.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop a new bright red variety with excellentpostproduction longevity.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor of thecultivar V-10 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,235) as the male or pollen parentwith the nonpatented cultivar Steffi as the female or seed parent.

The cultivar HWD Menorca was discovered and selected by the inventor asa flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany. Asexual reproduction of the newcultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany, has shownthat the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stabilized andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of HWD Menorca. These characteristics incombination distinguish HWD Menorca as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Bright red flower bracts.

2. Large flower bracts.

3. Large number of flower bracts per inflorescence.

4. Large, showy cyathia.

5. Medium to high vigor.

6. Large leaves.

7. Freely branching plant habit.

8. Excellent postproduction longevity.

In comparison to the parent cultivar V-10, the new Poinsettia hasbrighter red flower bracts; large flower bracts; is more vigorous;larger leaves; longer postproduction longevity as foliage and cyathiaare retained longer on the new Poinsettia compared to V-10; and flowers3 to 7 days later. In comparison to the parent cultivar Steffi, the newPoinsettia is more vigorous and has larger leaves and flower bracts.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographcomprises a top perspective view of a typical potted plant of HWDMenorca with on pinched plant in a 15-cm container.

The cultivar HWD Menorca has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype, The followingobservations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown inRheinberg, Germany, under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures of 22° C. and night temperatures of 18°C. and light levels of 30,000 to 40,000 lux.

In the following description, color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Commercial.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar.--`HWD Menorca`.

Parentage:

Male parent: `V-10` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,235).

Female parent: `Steffi`.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cutings.

Time to initiate roots.--Summer: 27° C., 21 days. Winter: 20° C., 28days.

Rooting habit.--Fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

Plant form.--Vase-shaped.

Growth habit.--Freely branching and upright. Branching is enhanced bythe removal of the apical shoot tip. Medium to high vigor.

Foliage description.--Arrangement: Opposite. Size: Length: 13 cm. Width:9.5 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Tip: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire andsometimes lobed. Texture: Upper side: Velvety, glabrous. under side:Pubescent at veins, very fine pubescence. Color: Young foliage upperside: 147A. Young foliage under side: 147B. Mature foliage top side:147A. Mature foliage under side: 147B. Venation: Upper side: 146D. Underside: 146D. Petiole: Pattern: Pinnate. Length: 7 cm. Color: 146D.

Flower description:

Inflorescence type and habit.--Inflorescences are compound corymbs ofcyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia.

Natural flowering season.--Autumn/winter in Northern Hemisphere. Flowerinitiation and development can be induced under short day/long nightconditions.

Time to flower.--8.5 to 9 weeks under short day/long night conditions.

Quantity of inflorescences.--10 to 15 cyathia per corymb.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: 29 cm. Height (depth): 7 cm.

Flower bracts.--Attitude: Horizontal to stem axis. Quantity of flowerbracts: 19 per inflorescence. Size: Length: 10 to 13.5 cm. Width: 6 to7.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Tip: Acuminate. Base: Acuta. Margin: Usuallyentire, sometimes lobed. Texture: Upper side: Satiny, glabrous. Underside: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening: In between 46B and 46C.Mature, top side: In between 46B and 46C Mature, under side: 46D. Fadingto: Flower bract color does not fade. Venation: Upper side: 46C. Underside: 46D. Petiole color: 146D.

Cyathia.--Quantity: 10 to 15 per corymb. Color: Immature: 144A. Mature:144C. Size: Length: 1 cm. Width: 0.5 cm. Diameter of cyathia cluster: 4cm. Stamens: Stamen number: 40 to 50 per cyathium. Anther size: 1 mm.Anther color: 187B. Pollen color: 10C. Pistils: Pistil number: 1 percyathium. Stigma color: 187B. Style color: 187B. Style length: 3 mm.Ovary number: 3. Nectaries: Usually one or two per cyathium.

Disease resistance: No fungal, bacterial nor viral problems observed.

Postproduction longevity: Generally more than 5 weeks under interiorconditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant namedHWD Menorca, as illustrated and described.